Thompson grateful to be back in big leagues

By Bill Chastain / MLB.com

WASHINGTON -- As the corresponding move to right-hander Brandon Gomes being optioned to Triple-A Durham after Sunday's 3-0 win over the Marlins, left fielder Rich Thompson has been recalled by the Rays.

Rays manager Joe Maddon likes the flexibility Thompson will add to the bench while playing games in National League parks.

"He gives us speed off the bench," Maddon said. "The National League game in general puts another guy on the bench. The one thing that we could really utilize is to be able to steal a base or to be able to score on a double from first base later in the game."

Thompson, who was acquired in a trade with the Phillies on May 16, has hit .063 with one RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases in eight games with the Rays this season.

"My numbers weren't great, but I felt like I hit the ball OK [while with the Rays]," Thompson said. "I've certainly gone through 16 at-bats and had worse results than that, so it's all relative, I guess. It was a small sample size. I wasn't really disappointed with how I hit the ball, but I certainly would have liked to have had a better outcome hits-wise.

"And getting out there to pinch-run and stuff like that, I've got to do that. So I think I got more at-bats on this team than the 25th man on a lot of other American League teams, so I was grateful for that."

Thompson is hitting .283 with 11 steals at the Triple-A level this season in the Rays' and Phillies' organizations.

Longoria feeling OK after leaving rehab game

WASHINGTON -- Evan Longoria joined the Rays at Nationals Park on Tuesday after leaving Monday's night's game for Triple-A Durham after feeling discomfort in his partially torn left hamstring.

"It didn't feel too bad, it definitely wasn't like it had happened, it wasn't a re-injury, I don't know," said Longoria, who will travel to the Tampa area on Wednesday to continue his rehab. "I woke up and I felt fine. My range of motion was there, we did strength tests [Monday] night. ... I could hold my leg with some resistance throughout the course of the evaluation after game, I felt pretty good. But it's pretty sore today."

The Rays' third baseman was playing in the second game of his rehab assignment with the Bulls and grounded out in the first inning and did not feel bad running to first. Later when he stretched, he felt what he described as a "tweak" in his left hamstring and that prompted him to be lifted for a pinch-hitter in the third inning in Rochester.

Longoria, who was hitting .329 with four home runs and 19 RBIs in 23 games before his injury on April 30, will not have a timetable for his return. The Rays want to take a cautious approach so that when he does return, he will not have any setbacks.

"It's kind of tough to say, timetables-wise [when I'll be back]," Longoria said. "I think the smartest thing to do now is kind of wait it out until it's fully healed and go from there."

Longoria said he doesn't believe he will have to see a doctor.

"I didn't feel a pop, I didn't feel anything, any kind of sensation like I did in the beginning, which is a good sign in my own mind," Longoria said. "So I don't think I'll see a doctor. I think we'll just give it a day or two and see how it's feeling. If that soreness goes away in the next couple days and reevaluate from there. That's kind of what we we're doing down there, just taking it day by day."

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.